The new variety of red raspberry, Rubus idaeus L., was created in the course of a planned breeding program carried out at HortResearch Nelson, New Zealand. The parents used to make the cross in 1987, were the cultivars Haida (seed parent) and Qualicum (pollen parent). Both of these parents originated in the Canada Agriculture breeding programme in British Columbia. The cross was made in British Columbia, Canada. Haida (Malling Promise×Creston) was an early release from the British Columbia raspberry breeding programme. It has had limited success as a cultivar in its own right, primarily as a cold hardy selection of Eastern Canada. Haida has also been recognised in New Zealand for its resistance to Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV), low stature, short internode length and its low chill adaptation. Qualicum (Glen Moy×Chilliwack) is RBDV susceptible and has very vigorous canes and large attractive fruit which are good for fresh market and processing.
Seed from this cross was grown at HortResearch, Nelson, New Zealand and the original plant of the new variety was selected during the 1989-90 summer (Southern Hemisphere) and was found to exhibit:                (a) a semi spine-free upright growth habit of strong vigor,        (b) the ability to form on floricanes attractive large red fruit of good flavor in high yields on medium-long fruiting trusses, that ripen early season, and        (c) resistance to Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus (RBDV).        
The new variety was first asexually propagated in 1991, being reproduced by vegetative cuttings arising from root cuttings. Cuttings developed this way in spring, root within a 3-4 week propagation period, and plants suitable for field planting are then ready in autumn of the same year. The resulting plants propagated true to type, demonstrating that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are transmitted without change through succeeding generations.